T-Mobile won't sell Moto X in its US retail stores to start, through Motorola instead

The Moto X won't be available in T-Mobile's American stores at launch, but will still be supported on the network, T-Mobile chief marketing officer Mike Sievert said on Friday.

“The Moto X optimised for T-Mobile’s 4G LTE network will initially be available through Motorola’s channels,” Sievert told AllThingsD. “We do not plan to stock Moto X devices immediately in our stores but are working closely with Motorola to make the Moto X a great experience for T-Mobile customers.”

Sievert explained that customers seeking a Moto X compatible with T-Mobile's network will have to purchase it through Motorola's store - not at T-Mobile. Unlike the AT&T version with more than a dozen different colour options, the T-Mobile version of the Moto X will be available in white and black.

Motorola announced the Moto X on Thursday, pricing it at $199 (£130) on T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and smaller carrier US Cellular. AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular have been aggressive in their Moto X marketing but Verizon, like T-Mobile, has remained quiet about the new smartphone. It's worth noting that Verizon just recently launched three new Droids last month.

Since the Moto X for T-Mobile is going through Motorola's sales channels, it's not clear if it will invoke T-Mobile's subsidised payment plan. With this plan, T-Mobile customers can pay for devices like the iPhone 5, HTC One, and Xperia Z over a 24 month financing period.

The baby of the Lint team, Jake is responsible for covering the latest news out of the US. He began writing technology news at 15, covering the world of Apple for several publications. He has a deep interest in the latest gadgets and gizmos. Outside of breaking news, Jake enjoys drumming, music and photography.